Engine-starting apparatus



5 March 11, 1930. F. H. PRESCOTT 1,750,283

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS File Jan 1 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 March 11, 1930. F. H. PRESCOTT ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed n- 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 11, 1930. F. H. PRESCOTT I 1,150,283

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed n- 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gmzntc WWW Qttozmql Patented Mar. 11, 1930 FRANK ii. PRESCOTT, or ANDERSON, INDIANA, AssrGNoR ro -ij'nii'oo nnivrsr' w an 'TION, or ANDERSON, INDIANA, ACORPOR'ATIOLF or ijELAwARE ENeiNns'rAR'riNe APPARATUS Application filed mu 17, 1929. Serial No. 533329;,

This invention relates to apparatus for startin internal combustion en ines and one of the objects of the invention is to provide simple and durable mechanism for manuallymoving the gear which is operated by the startinginotor into mesh "with a gear connected with the engine to be started, and thereafter 'for causing. themotor to operate to crank the engine.

More particularly, it is an aim of the pres ent invention to provide a simple and durablel mechanism for manually causing the start ing motor gear to'be rotated prior'fto meshing with the engine gear, in case a gear tooth abutment occurs before meshing takesplace. This aim of the present invention is accomplished by employing a pinion shifter which moves endwise along the axis of the pinion and which cooperates with means causing the' shifter to rotate as it moves endwise. Motion ist-r'ansmitted from the shifter to the pinion both axially and rotatively bya spring located between the shifter and the pinion, the spring being preferably'a helical coil spring arranged coaxially with respect to the pinion and shifter. In case the pinion teeth abut the engine gear teeth before meshing takes place, the spring will yield to permit endwise' movement of the shifter while endwise move-' ment of the pinion is being arrested by reason of the gear tooth abutment. While the shifter moves endwise, it is caused to rotate and the spring transmits this rotary movement from the shifter to the pinion in order to cause the pinion to be rotated into mesl ing registration with the .engine gear while this spring yieldingly presses the pinion.

FFig. 3 is a sectional viewonthef linet i df Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the. line of Fig. 1. i a I Fig. '5is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional. view of a part ofthe apparatus, this ction being taken on the line 5 5 ofFig.1 31:".1 f

Fig. 6 is'a plan View of a slieetihtaliblank of which a portion ofthe ,a paiatii'sis formed Fig.7 1s aside-view of'aporti'o enginestartingapparatusfihowingfth tion of v the engine starter drive i 'u'stlpri r t'o meshing the motor pinioniwith'f the eiigiti'e gear.

Fig. 8 is a O fFig.7- ',,V t Fig. 9 is a view. of the apparatus 1 looking; in the direction of arrow: 9"o'f Fig.

Fig; lO'is a View similanto Fig. 7, showing the condition of the starting apparatus: u'st prior to-cranking the engine. F ig. 1l is a view similar to Fig. 10, shaw ing the condition of the apparatus while cranking the engine. v Fig. 12 is a View similar to Fig. I1,-show ingthe condition of the apparatus after the engine startsand before the operator releases the pedal or actuaton Fig. 13 is a' plan'view of a sheet.metal'blank' of which a portion of'the starting apparatus";-

is formed. i

Fig. 14 is'a side View of a washer used as a stop collar on the'motor shaft, Fig; 14' Being; drawn to twicethe scale of the other figures.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view on the line l515 of Fig. 14:.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6 of the'dr'a-w ings, designates a frame or bracket for attaching the starting motor to the frame of the engine to be started, and part 20 provides the housing for the starting gearing. The gear housing 20 supports a starting motor field frame 21 supporting at its left hand end (not shown) a bearing (not shown) for supporting an armature shaft 22 having at its right end a journal 23 received by a bearing 24 provided by the housing 20.- The frame20 provides a finished surface 25 for receiving a thrust washer 26 cooperating with a shoulder 27 provided by the shaft 22 in'order't'hatthe 11148; pinion 3Q smove n e tailt e e V tail tangs 41 separated bynotches 42 which frame may receive the thrust of the shaft while the engine is being cranked.

Shaft 22 supports a pinion which is movable endwise along the shaft toward the right into mesh with a gear 31 connected with the engine tobe started, this gear being preferably "a ggearprovided "by e the flywheel of the engine; The pinion' 30'i's'"driven' the shaft 22 through a lost splined; driving connection. This connection is provide'd;by helical shaft splines 32 which cooperate with internal helical splines provided by the pinion 30. As shown more particularly in Fig. 4, the helical grooves 34 in the hub of the width than the shaft splines 32sothat there willbe lost motion, rotatively, between the shaft 22 and th e pinion 30. This is desirable iii' order that i the pinion may be rotated manually without rotating the shaft 22.

' r d manually'endwise into Inesh ,yv itl 1 he engme gear 31' and is inicasejofgear toqth'abutmaei l irete id ment,"byman ly operated pinion shifter sentirety by numera #36 and 37 v attached to a tubular i bi38 .ifll iefi thiz iisibbi nict d y e tcylinder, sheet, metal, blank 39 shown in FigZS. Thisblank is provided with 40 for interlocking with dovereceive thetangs 40 when the blank 39 has been"forrr ied i nto acylinder, The blank 39 is provided wi h slots 43 which, after the i 3' formed into the tube, will be obliqu'e to the a ris of the tube and will be diametrically opposite.

1 the disc- 37 as indicated meral 52an'd' having Adj acent the edge supfaee 45, th e bla nk 39 is provided with lugs themetal of the blank asshown more particularlyiinFig. 5. After the blank 39 has been formed into the tubular hub 38, the disc 37"i s place'd upon the hub'38 and is shoved against the stoplugs 46. Then the left hand of th e tube 38 is swedged or spun over against curely attach the disc 37 to the hub-38 and so that rotation may be transmittedfrom the hub 38 to the disc 37.

The oblique slots 43 in the hub 38 receive opposite ends" of a pin extending diametrically through the shaft 22. The pin and oblique slot connections between the shifter hub 38 and the shaft 22 provide means for causing the pinion shifter to rotate while it iswbeing moved endwise.

hfotion is transniitted from the shifter 36 to the pinion 30 by a helical coil spring 51 having one end attached to the disc 37 as indicated by nuthe other end 53 formed parallel to the axis of the spring and extending into a hole 54 provided in one of the teeth of the pinion30. The turn 55 of the spring 51,:from which the spring end 53 directly extends,'is located substantially in a plane at connects the flat turn next adjacent to it. It is thereforeapparent motion "helical pinion 30 are greater in 46 hicli are "formed by partly punching. out

at 47 in order to scright angles-to the axis of the spring. This turn 55 is located between the left end faces of the pinion teeth and a washer 56, which is retained upon the hub 57 of the pinion 30, by a wire split ring 58 received by a suitable annular groove provided by the hub 57. The washer 56 is provided with a notch 59 for receiving a portion '60 of the spring 51 "which 55 with the helical turn that the spring 51 is capable of transmitting motion both axially and rotatively from the shifter 36 to the-pinion 30.

The shifter 36 is operated by manually operable mechanism including an actuator or lever attached to a hub 71 rotatably supported bv The lever 70 is yiel'dingly maintained in normal position, shown in 1, by a spring 73 having an intermediate portion coiled around the stud 72, ing against the frame 75 bearing against the lever The spring 73 is biased for urging the lever 70 in a clock wise direction as viewedin'FigKl. The lever 7 0 supports a stud 76arranged' to engage the plunger 77 of an electric switch housed with in a case 78 attached to the motor fieldlframe'z 21. This switchwhen closed will conneet the electric motor circuit with a 'current'fsource."

This disconnectible means includes ,a stud 80 attached to the leverv 70 adjacent its lower end and normally received within'the notched portion 81 of a triangular shaped opening 82 providedby a sleeve 83; Referring .to Fig. 13, the sleeve 83 is constructed by forming into tubular shape the sheet metal blank 84 shown in Fig. 13. The blank 84 is provided with dovetail tangs 85 which cooperate with dovetail tangs 86 spaced by notches 87 which receive the similarly spaced tangs 85. In this way the abutting edges of the blank adjacent the seam extending longitudinally of the tubular sleeve are locked together. The blank 84 is provided with tangs 88 which, after the blank has been formed into a tube, are received by suitable notches formed adjacent the periphery of a disc 89, supported by tubular hub 90 which slides along the shaft 22. The sleeve 83 is supported between its ends by a disc 91 through which the hub 90 extends. The disc 91 bears against stop lugs 92 provided by the hub 90 and the right end of the hub 90 is swedged or spun over against the right hand side of the disc 91 as indicated by numeral 93. The left end of the hub 90 is spun over against the left sides of the disc 89 as indicated by The spinning over of the hub 90 against the disc 89 causes the disc 89 to be forced against the left end of the sleeve 83 and hence tends to move the sleeve 83 toward the right relative to the disc 91. However, this motion a stud 7 2 carried by the housing 20. I

having one end 7 4 bear- 20and the other end 70 is connected by;

numeral 94.

aha-a a; agi aeaaat sleeve 83 is provided with stop lugs 95; which bear against th left. de ur ace of h i a: surfa'ce'197 which i receives a lug [98' eite'ndin we. s 91. in one. e jee' i he operation of thei'n'vention is as-ffol-i 'Tojs tartthe engiii'e 'the operator moves the;

lever 70 in a connterclockwisedirection thereby causing the stud 80 to jmovealong' the shaft 22 toward the right u'ntil itengages an edgesurface' 100 which in part defines the notch 81. Then'the sleeve83 will move'toward the right; carrying with it the hub 90-which engages the shifter hub 38,caus ing it to move towardtheright also. Motion is transmitted from the sll ifterf hub 38 throhghthe spring- 51 to 'thelpinion acc ssing the latter to move endwise toward the right f into 7 engagement withjthe enginej gear 31. I In case, of gear tooth abutment further motion of thei pinion 30, continued counterclockwise,

moyementlofthe leverOgwill cause the pinion shifter 38 to moyetoward the right and to r'otate relative to the sha'ft1'22 on account of the and-foblique; slot connection between the' p'inifo n shifter ln1b' 38 and the shaft 22.

The rotaryrnovenientofthe hub 38 is transmitted to thei pinion 3Q thi ugh the spring ol 'e ausinglthe-pinion 30jto rotate while it,

is being yieldingly pressed against the abutting t'eeth of the enginegear 31. Figs. 7 8 "3 5 and}9 sho wthe eonditioh of the starting apparatus after the pi nion .ha s been rotated into mesh with the engine gear 31 and just before meshing has taken place", It will be noted that'the pinion has-been rotated from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in ig. S-and that its splines 33 have been rotated from the demeshi'ng side of the shaft splines 32 toward the driving sides of thelever 70 has been moved sufliciently to cause the motor switch to be closed by the cooperation of the stud 76 of the lever 7 0 with the,

switchplunger 77, the pinion 30 will have been moved nearly into full mesh with the engine gear 31 as shown in Fig. 10. The closing of the motor switch will cause the shaft 22 to rotate. This rotation of the shaft 22 causes the pinion '30 to be moved a slight'dist ane' a ains esw washeq 1q' aaf ing a plane portion 111'surronndingthe shafti 2. d h v ligl teb e l ot l e' 2: dtl reeiving .the shaft 'splinesl l32il j The asher: 1 10 abu ..w e lithngsl fi r fi ite .5" e1 suitable interruptedlannylfi ligoove. vided. by the spline V The washer 110: lifiilll ldes a cylindrical portion 11 1 whichl'encloses the= thrust washer; 26. During the cranking of;

the engine, the apparatus is 4 in the. condition shown in, Fig. 11. v ,Comparin'g' .FigL' 11 ,with Fig. 10, it willfbe noted'that the sleeve 83 has become separated from the pinion'3O man a. the'actuator or lever 7 0 hasbeen dis'conne'oted; from the sleeve'83. "Thisl moye mentpfthe sleeve 83 takes .place dueto the fact th' twhen" the shaft 22 rotates in {the dire'ction. of ;the. arrow 120 in -Fig. 11 whileoi'ankin g the-fink gine, the sleeve 83 is.,frictioi ally dra 'ged' by the shaft 22 in the same direction. I This fro tation of the sleeve '83 causes the notch} 81 to move away, from the stud 80 aand the oblique surface 121 which in part defines. the: triangular aperture 82,.to ngage/the stud 80. Since the stud 80: remains stationary while the sleeve 83 is, being. rotated by v the shaft 22 in thedireotion .of the arrow 1 in Fig. 11, the sleeve 83will bemovedtowar'd the left from thev positionshownin Fig. 105t0. that shown in Fig. 11. In this wayfthesleeve hub 90 is separatedfrom'the shifter hub-38 so that, although the lever 70 may remain. in the position shown in Fig-11, the-pinion may beautomatically -demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts.' As soon as the engine becomes self-operative, the pinion 30, the spring 51v and the shifter 36 .move from the positionshown in Fig. 11 to the normal position shown in :Fig. 12, although: the operator has not yet-released thellever 70. When the lever is released, the spring 73 will return the lever 70 to normal position. During the return of'the lever to normal position, the lever stud '80 engages cammingly the obliquesurface 121 provided by the sleeve. 83 and causes the sleeve 83 to return to nor mal position shown in Fig.1. Theswitch plunger 77 returns to switch open position byaspring122.

The spring 51 operates also to prevent ac-. cident-al movement of the pinion 30 into mesh with the engine gear. The spring 51 is n r mally biased so as to urge the pinion 3O'. in

the direction of the arrow in. Fig. 5 or 126- in Fig. 4. In other words, the spring 51 within the s r Hal rearrange .4

. G on se iiently' when the a. a 'par at is is' silh jeoted to vibration whihfitoiiitfteiiiiffto move the pinion 3Q end if fthe uiaa fie isyiel'clifng ly lzltched to shaft- 22 reason of the eooperation be- 5i? and the ri otohed extensions iwliiliith e f of embodiment of the present idtehtidf as; reifi disclosed, constitutes aiir feg" d ftii m, is'to befuriderstood' that ithe foffris might ta aa'oiaeaftu Coming it li e 5. l ies? W s i t n e witli th engine -gea'r ,a a"a lost motion driv iii on e be ween the'shaftaiid pinion;

vspring ag'ainstth'e engine gear; the means fhrlo erating'the'shifter.

Z2 En inestlar ing apparatus comprising, iiiEorfibiaiationf a-drive shaft f a' pinion shiftiallyofthe sha'fh'tih'd connected theret'ifb "a lost mo tliiin oonriect io n'j a? shifter movah'le' along"the shzift and having connection therewithhueh that axial movement of the shift 's alooompaniedby rotary movement; ztspiing for an'smittinga'v al and rotary movement from the shifter to the pinion wh'e'rehy the piiiion may be rotated in case it ahilts 'the engine-gearprior to meshing, said pinion beingyieldingly urged said spring s e tb ae e r; atin and meansfor operting apparat n s comprising, in'combi n, motor ;"means for connectth'motcir with agear of "an engine to be started andincluding a shaft a pinion mov: the engine gear, provisibriis 'where lfi tiiel z Urn-' 2, p; in ..1".3' 10n will be automatloallydemeshedfrdmt :313 r A 'u' t mm. engine gear when the engine Start g I .1- an. 1:; )2"q.: :14: F7. p 1 motion dIIVlIIg connection betweenth s a ::2: 7"l-Lii1f 1;- hig-(L and pinion; a pinlon shlfter m ova tbleax l al lyv u I JV 3 l .w-- u A. 1&- 2,: of the shaft; means for .efiectin rotatlon 33f 1- 11'. 1 1mm; skin. the shifter while it 1s moved axia iy; a spr n; fortransmittmg axlal and rotar movemien able i axially along from mas in -ras an; "iaiaa-wha-ty gh pi m y 9 ifi $11 1 ca e'i t e s n 'p fte me l nij eidi'fi fi jd ing yielding'ly ur e by? s d the engine gear; 'a' manual ator "fo'r'moving the'shijft r automatically QdisoOnTne tmQ 'th fromthe shifter be o retli e en 45. Engine starting app i'ratus shifter to the'pinion I atin. amen ssprior to meshing, ly lirged by said gear and means for op'e'rat n ta -asap i. in combinati0n a motor; mea ing the motor'with agea g started and incl'iiding ashaftfa 'inionf able axially along the" shaftinto mesh with: the engine gear, and provisions 'wli reby thei pinion will be automatically deme'slied'ffrorif the engine gear wheri th e engine starts, a'p'iii ion shifter movable aix'iall'ypifftlie shaft t means for effecting rot 'a'tionfo f the shifter" while it is moved atia llyil a 61? transmitting axial and rotary movement from the shifter to the" i'ni'on'wlfer elo'y t' lie" pinion may be rotated'in case it ahiitstlqifeeii gine gear prior to 'meshing',fs'aidfpinion yieldingly urged by said spring agalnstthe engine gear; a manuallymperable' actr'iatoif for moving the shifter; and meansjfor' aiitomat-ically disconnecting the actuator from" the shifter before the engine starts; I

' 6. Engine starting apparatiis comprising, in combination. a motor means' for connect ing the motor with the'gear of anengine to be started and including a shaft; a pinion movable axially along the shaftinto mesh the pinion will be automatically"demeshd from the gear when the engine'sta'rt s'; 'a'p ion shifter movable axially 'along'the sha ft and having a Connection therewith ueh 125 with the engine gear and provisions whereby axial movement of the shifter is accompanied able axially along the shaft into mesh with the engine gear and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine starts; a pinion shifter movable axially along the shaft and having a connection therewith such that axial movement of the shifter is accompanied by rotary movement; a spring for transmitting axial and rotary movements from the shifter to the pinion whereby the pinion may be rotated while being yieldingly pressed against the engine gear in case of gear tooth abutment; a manually operable actuator for moving the shifter; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator from the shifter before the engine starts.

8. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a pinion movable axially into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started, a spring for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinion, and manually operable means for moving the spring axially and rotating it.

9. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a pinion movable axially into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started, a helical'coil spring co-axial with the pinion and connected therewith to transmit to the pinion axial and rotary movement-s, manually operable means for moving the spring axially and rotating it.

10. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a pinion movable axially into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started, a spring for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinion, a pinion shifter connected with the spring and mov able axially of the pinion, means for effecting rotation of the shifter while it is moved axially, and manually operable means for moving the shifter axially.

11. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a drive shaft, a pinion driven by the shaft and movable axially thereof into mesh with a gear of an engine to he started, a helical-coil spring connected with the pinion for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly thereto, a pinion shifter slidable along the shaft, means so connecting the shifter and shaft that axial movement of the shifter is accompanied by rotary movement, and manually operable means for moving the shifter along the shaft.

"12. Engine startingapparatus comprising, n combination, a motor means for connecting the motor with the gear of an engine to be started and-including a pinion movable'axially into mesh with the gear of an enginezto be started and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from themgine gear -'\vl1en the engine starts; a spring for transmittingaxial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinlon; and manually open able means for moving the spring axlallyand for turning it.

13. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, amotor; means for connecting the motor with the gear of an engine'to'be started and including a pinion movable axially into mesh with the gear of an engine to be started and provisions whereby the pinion WllhbG automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts a-spr ng-for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinion; manually operable means including an actuator formoving-the spring axially and for tu rningit; .and means fol-automatically disconnecting the actuator from the spring-before the engine starts.

14; Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination a motor; a pinion having a lost motion driving connection with-the motor and movable axially into mesh with agear of an engine to be started; a spring for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinion; and manually operable means formoving the spring axially and for turning it. i

15. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination a motor; -a pinion having a lost motion driving connection with the ,motor and movable axially into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started; provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a spring for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinion; and manually operablemeans for moving the spring axially and for turning it.

16. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination a motor; a pinion having a lost motion driving connection with the motor and movable axially into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started; provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a spring for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinion; manually operable means including an actuator for moving the spring axially and for turning it; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator from the spring before the engine starts.

17. 'Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a helically splined shaft driven thereby; a pinion movable along the shaft into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started and having a lost-motion-drive' Dun ponneotion withsaid. helical splines; a spring -for transmitting axial and rotary movements .yieldi-ngly tothepinion; manually operable means including an actuator for moving the r spring axially and for turning it; and means for automatically disconnecting the actuator from thespring before the'engine starts.

'18. Engine starting apparatus comprising, fincombination, a motor; a helically splined shaft driyen thereby; a pinion movable along jth shaft 1 to mesh with a gear of an engine to be started and having a lost-motiondrive connection with said helical splines; a spring for transmitting axial and rotary movements yieldingly to the pinion; a pinion shifter con -nected with the spring and movable along the ,shaft and so connected therewith that axial movement of the shifter is accompanied by rotation thereof; manually operable means including-an actuator for moving the shifter axially; and means for automatically discon- 4- necting the actuator from the shifter before the engine starts. I

--l 9, Engine starting apparatus according 4 to claim ls in which the shifter is a tube surrounding the shaft and has an oblique slot for receiving-a pin extending from the shaft.

- 20. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 18 in which the shifter slides along ,the shaft and has a slot oblique to the axis of the shaft for receiving a pin extending from the shaft, said slot having a notch normally .receivingthepin, and said spring being normally biased for holding the notched portion of the shifter in engagement with the pin and thus yieldingly to prevent movement of the ishifter toward the engine gear.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

FRANK H. PRESCOTT. 

